Ravenclaw Stories
by MrsCatherineWinter
Summary: This is a collection of short stories that have something to do with Ravenclaw (be it a character from that House or a scene in the common room or something else). Inspired from a challenge in the Ravenclaw Common Room guild on Habitica.
1. A Puzzle at Night (09 1991)

_First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you were so kind as to write me a message to tell me of them, I would immediately correct them._

_Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joanne K. Rowling and I don't earn my money with these stories._

_These stories are inspired by a challenge in the Ravenclaw Common Room on Habitica. _

**Ravenclaw Stories**

A Puzzle at Night

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_September 1991_

.

Lisa Turpin made her way up the spiral staircase towards the Ravenclaw common room, slowly and with a wincing face. It was already night, the curfew would begin in a few minutes. This had been her first week in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and already she felt exhausted. She had used her free Sunday today to study and read in the library. As a Ravenclaw, she felt it her responsibility to have extraordinary grades and show good will at gaining knowledge. But now her eyes and back hurt from constant reading and she was so tired, she would probably fall on her bed with her clothes still on and fall asleep at once.

Finally, she had reached the door to the common room. For a moment, she tried to recollect the password, until she remembered that instead you had to answer a question or solve a riddle to enter.

"Um, hi", she said to the bronze eagle knocker on the door. "I'd like to enter."

"I have a puzzle for you first", the eagle responded in a soft voice. "It goes like this: _Ten candles stand burning in a dining room. A strong breeze blows in through an open window and extinguishes two of them. Checking back in on the candles later, you see that one more candle has gone out. To make sure no more flames go out, you shut the window. Assuming the wind doesn't extinguish any more candles, how many candles do you have left in the end?_"

Lisa blinked at this. Today was her first time to enter the common room alone and the other times when she had been with fellow first-years the questions had been so much easier! _Well, it doesn't do to complain,_ she thought and started to think about the puzzle. In her mind, a picture of the situation arose, but the answer wasn't clear to her. Tentatively, she answered: "None?" All candles go out eventually.

"That is incorrect," the eagle replied.

Lisa sighed and thought about it again but her answer was still zero. In the end, all candles are gone. She rubbed her tired eyes. "Maybe one?" she started to guess.

"I cannot allow you to simply guess," the eagle replied emotionless. "I need the answer and an explanation for you to enter."

"I don't know," Lisa started to whine. She was so tired! "Please, can you just let me in this one time? Look at my school uniform: I am in Ravenclaw. Or I go inside and ask someone to vouch for me."

"That I cannot do, as well," the eagle returned. "I have no eyes, I cannot see. I can only hear."

"Please," she got tears in her eyes. "I just want to sleep!"

The eagle remained silent, so she started to hammer against the thick wooden door of the common room. "Hey!" she yelled. "Is anyone in there and can open up, please?"

But nothing happened.

The tears in her eyes started to escape and ran over her cheeks. Frustrated and lonely, she slid onto the floor, hugged her knees and started to cry bitterly. She didn't know the answer of the riddle and she was too tired to think about it, so she would have to sleep outside on the corridor until someone else came by or out of the common room in the morning. What a humiliation! A Ravenclaw that is too stupid to enter her own common room! Her older brothers, both in Hufflepuff, would laugh at her endlessly. They had made it perfectly clear on her first day that they didn't think her smart enough to be a Ravenclaw… More tears streamed over her face.

"Miss Turpin?" a voice suddenly spoke, and Lisa looked up at Professor Flitwick. "Is everything alright?"

"Professor!" she exclaimed relieved and stood up. "Thank Merlin, you're here. I can't solve the puzzle and now I can't enter the common room."

Flitwick nodded knowingly. "Yes, I always get a notice whenever a student is stuck on the eagle's question for more than 15 minutes. Don't worry," he merrily winked at her, "you're not the first I have come to rescue." He looked at the eagle and wanted to know the riddle.

The eagle obliged, and Flitwick thought about the solution for a moment, before he answered confidently: "Three."

"That is correct," the eagle stated, and the door opened a little.

"What, why?" Lisa wanted to know at once.

"Those three candles got blown out by the wind," Flitwick explained, "so they are the only ones that cannot burn down."

Lisa had the urge to facepalm herself. Of course!

"But I must say," Flitwick continued and spoke towards the eagle again, "that is quite the difficult riddle to ask a first-year at night."

"My apologies," the eagle declared in his emotionless voice. "I thought this was the fifth-year Mary McTosh."

"No," replied Flitwick. "This is first-year Lisa Turpin."

"My apologies, Miss Turpin. Your voice sounds just like Miss McTosh's."

Confused by this statement, Lisa looked at her Head of House.

"The eagle is able to distinguish everyone's different voices," Flitwick explained, "and therefore can give questions most adept to the person asking entrance. Don't worry, the next time you'll get a question you can answer easily."

"That's good," Lisa smiled. She had already feared to have this problem every other day…

"If I may ask," Flitwick then continued and sounded concerned, "why were you coming so late to the common room?"

"I was in the library studying," Lisa told him proudly. "The whole day."

Flitwick raised an eyebrow. "And why would you do that in your first week? Do you have the feeling you are falling behind already?"

"Um, no, sir," she replied slightly confused. "As a Ravenclaw it is expected of me."

"Oh, my dear girl", Flitwick then said sympathetically. "Being a Ravenclaw doesn't mean you have to spend your free day in a library. The Sorting Hat chose our House for you because you like reading and gaining knowledge, isn't that right?"

Lisa nodded, feeling suddenly stupid and embarrassed.

"It is also very important – and especially Ravenclaws tend to forget this – to have friends around you." Flitwick smiled at her. "Promise me to spend your next Sunday with some of your fellow first-years. You could go outside, to the lake, if the weather is fine. Or play cards together or whatever it is the young kids of today do."

"I will," she promised at once and her heart felt lighter at the prospect of a social and fun Sunday.

THE END.


	2. The Height of Singing (10 1995)

The Height of Singing

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_October 1995_

.

It was Saturday morning, almost 10 a.m., and Filius Flitwick was on his way to his favourite 'lesson' of the week. When he had started the choir some 10 years ago, there had only been three participants, all from Ravenclaw. But now there were almost 20 students from all four houses and 7 years. He was very proud of his students and happy that he could pass on his knowledge and passion for music.

It all had started with a conversation with Dumbledore a decade ago about having a new subject where the students could choose between music, art, and theatre. But the headmaster had said that it wasn't feasible because the students had already so many classes – and music, art, and theatre had little to do with becoming a splendid witch or wizard. The compromise had been an extracurricular choir on Saturdays for those students who wanted to – and Flitwick couldn't be more fortunate with this arrangement.

He looked on his pocket watch and noticed he had to hurry a bit. His short legs hastened through the school and when he finally reached the Great Hall through the teacher's entrance, he spoke while opening the door.

"Good morning, everyone. Excuse my lateness." He smiled at the bunch of students in good humour, though today only half had shown up, when he noticed the tension in the room and saw their anxious faces. Before he could ask them, what was the matter, he heard the infamous "Hem, hem" of Professor Umbridge.

The High Inquisitor stepped forward and smiled sweetly. "Good morning, Professor Flitwick. As I am instructed by the Ministry, Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, to inspect all the lessons, I thought that I should also have a look at the choir – Hogwarts' only extracurricular activity."

"Naturally," he replied and tried to sound indifferent but inwardly he was worried. Umbridge tended to make everyone uncomfortable. He looked back at his students, however, with a merry face. "Let's start with our warm-up."

"I would first ask your… participants a few questions," Umbridge interrupted him.

He was annoyed by her interruption but made a go-ahead-gesture and Umbridge started at once by picking – of course – a 7th-year-_Slytherin_-girl. "Miss Cattins, would you consider the choir a waste of time?"

"What?!" the girl made startled. "No, of course not!"

"But wouldn't you love to spend your Saturday morning otherwise?"

"I'd like to inform you," Flitwick intervened, glaring at Umbridge, "that the students are here voluntarily and can come and go as they please."

"I love singing," Miss Cattins quickly added. "It's great to have this opportunity here and I wish there would be more extracurricular activities."

Umbridge stared at the girl coldly before smiling at a 3rd-year Hufflepuff boy. "And what about you, Mr Vled?"

"I can only agree."

Umbridge's lips tightened. "Well, continue," she spat at Flitwick after a moment, who had to hide a smirk.

For the next quarter of an hour, Umbridge made a lot of notes on her clipboard while he did his exercises with the students. "Alright, everyone, let's try the song from last week again." The students stood in a half-circle before their music sheets and he conducted them.

They started singing and he was glad they were enthusiastic and had improved yet again. From his peripheral view, he could see that Umbridge was coming closer, but he tried to ignore her. When she, however, openly smiled at him and moved her head to the music, he grinned back and hoped that she liked his choir's singing.

"Move those mouths," he told his students to motivate them.

And then suddenly Umbridge had a measuring tape in her hand, which took his height.

His arm sank and he forgot about everything else. This was the first time in his long career at Hogwarts that anyone had said or done anything about his microsomia (or dwarfism). Not even the students had once joked about it, nothing. And here was this… this… woman! and dared to take his height? The old wound he had gotten when he was younger by years of being bullied burst open again and he didn't know how to react.

Then he noticed that his choir had stopped singing and all of his students looked at Umbridge with so much venom in their eyes; he had never seen them like this.

"How dare you!" Miss Cattins then shouted.

"I beg your pardon?" Professor Umbridge tried to sound innocent.

"How dare you humiliate one of our professors because of something he can't do anything about!"

Umbridge's eyes gleamed meanly. "Miss Cattins, I'm warning you. Remember, you are speaking to the High Inquisitor!"

"Yes, Miss Cattins," Flitwick finally found his speech back. "But thank you."

She gave him a smile before glaring back at Umbridge.

"I believe, Professor," Mr Vled spoke at the High Inquisitor after a moment of deadly silence, "that it is clear you are no longer welcome here. You should leave now."

"That is detention for you!" Umbridge huffed but made quickly her exit.

"I'll try to talk her out of it," Flitwick said to the boy when she was gone.

But Mr Vled shrugged and smirked. "It was worth it."

"We all want you to know," Miss Cattins added, "that we would never think ill of you just because of your height. That woman just crossed a huge line!" She made an infuriated face, before smiling warmly at him. "You're our favourite professor."

The rest of the students nodded enthusiastically, and Flitwick had to blink away his tears.


	3. Corona (03 2020)

Corona

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_March 2020_

.

Corona. That word was everywhere. Everyday Luna could read about this pandemic crisis in the newspapers, both the _Daily Prophet_ and the _Daily Telegraph_. How many people were infected, how many died, how many countries had cases, and what the politics did against a further spread. It was horrible, and Luna felt for all those people around her.

"Anything new?" her husband Rolf Scamander asked, taking a sip from his coffee mug. He preferred not to read about it at all and just waited for his wife to tell any news.

"The pubs are getting closed," Luna replied. "Britain is taking any precautions they can. They even think about a general quarantine for everybody who doesn't need to go out."

"Bummer," Rolf mumbled. "Would we be included?"

"I'm not sure but as wizards we can just apparate to work, right?"

"And we can't even get infected in the first place."

"True."

It was a relief when St Mungo's declared that witches and wizards were immune against the virus, no matter if pureblood, half-blood or Muggle-born (something about different DNA or so). The wizarding community was safe per se – but then the first squib got the disease and people started to worry again. Besides, there were many witches and wizards with Muggle family members and friends. Luna regularly checked with Hermione if her parents were okay who further belonged to a risk group because of their age. But there wasn't much the wizarding community could do – there wasn't a spell against the virus…

Suddenly an owl pecked on the window, and Luna went to open it to let the brown feather ball in. She was glad she had thought of putting a notice-me-not-spell around their apartment or their Muggle neighbours would soon be irritated by the number of owls in the area.

After Luna had retrieved the letter from the owl, she gave the bird a bit of her toast and looked at the envelope. It was a formal letter by the Ministry of Magic and with the seal of the Minister himself.

"What does Kingsley want?" Rolf wondered aloud when he saw the letter.

"Don't know," Luna shrugged and opened it. Having quickly read through the short note, she announced: "He says he needs to see me as soon as possible."

Rolf arched an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders. "He didn't say."

"Well, then I suppose you shouldn't keep him waiting."

"Right." She quickly packed her things and flooed through their chimney into the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The fountain consisted these days of a hovering huge ball made of grey stone. The names of all the victims of both Wars against Voldemort were engraved in it, while water slowly trickled down over the ball and into a basin.

Luna took the elevator to the topmost level and went to the Minister's office. When she knocked, almost at once the door was opened.

"Please come in, Mrs Scamander," a young woman said who Luna recognised as Kingsley's assistant Mara. "We have been waiting for you." She waved her towards the table where already three other people were seated.

"Well this is a surprise," Luna said her first thought aloud.

There was Neville, wearing his teacher's robe and grinning happily at her. Then there was Dean Thomas in Muggle clothes, waving at her, and last but not least Draco Malfoy in his white St Mungo's healer clothes, trying to look bored, but Luna noticed his curiosity.

"Please have a seat," Mara told her. "Minister Shacklebolt will be with you in a moment." When the assistant had left the room, there was a moment of silence.

"So, what's this all about?" Luna wondered but the others shrugged.

"No idea," Neville returned.

"I hope it's important," Draco snapped. "I am quite busy." It had gotten better with him over the years, but he was still arrogant.

Then the door opened again and Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt in all his glory entered. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," he greeted them joyfully and sat down.

Mara followed with tea and biscuits for everyone.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly," he then opened the meeting. "I'm sure you have already figured out why we are here." When mere silence met him he continued: "We have here one of the top healers of St Mungo's", he indicated towards Draco, "an absolute plant expert" (Neville), "and an absolute animal expert" (Luna), "and, of course, a member of the Muggle government's secret health lab", (Dean).

Luna was the first to figure it out. "You want us to find a cure against the coronavirus."

"Yes," Kingsley confirmed. "Though we wizards and witches cannot get infected, we owe it to our Muggle friends and family to help in any way we can. I would like you with all your different fields of expertise to work together and try to find out as much as possible. Mr Thomas will be our bridge towards the Muggle scientists, as I am in constant contact with Prime Minister Johnson. I was also able to get Hermione Granger on board since she is a brilliant potioneer. She will join us later. What do you think?"

They looked at each other but apparently found no reason against this task force so they agreed. "Excellent," Kingsley smiled. "I have prepared a room for you where you can work. I will once in a while have a look but other than that you have total freedom."

"If we had a Hufflepuff," Luna suddenly noticed, "then all Hogwarts Houses would be working together."

"Well," Neville replied sheepishly, "the Hufflepuff's declared me an honourable member of their House when I inherited Professor Sprout's job."

"Perfect," she grinned. "Hogwarts against Corona. That virus doesn't have a chance!"

And with that confidence and optimism, the task force started their work.


	4. Divergence (Anytime)

Divergence

.

She waited for him in the Entrance Hall after their last exam and a part of her hoped he would never come. She had to tell him something that she rather didn't. But time was not in her favour and so she didn't need to wait long.

"Done!" he shouted excited when he saw her and swept her off her feet and whirled her around. "I'm done with school! No more studying, no more exams, finally freedom!" He laughed joyfully until he saw her stricken face. "Hey, what's the matter?" he asked tentatively, and her heart ached. He had been the kindest boyfriend she could imagine – but it just wasn't enough.

"I can't be your date for the Graduation ball," she quickly said the dreadful words.

He looked at her stunned. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I really am. I shouldn't have accepted your invitation right away."

"But I don't understand. I thought we were doing great together."

"We are," she replied and took his hand. "I love you, I do. But I can't spend my life with you. You want to travel the world before even thinking about what to do with your life, and I want to go to university straight away. And I don't believe in long-distance relationships."

"It's because I'm a Hufflepuff, isn't it?" he then asked sadly.

She wanted to deny it but it was partly true. He was wonderful and kind and lovely and loyal and could make her laugh, but she needed someone in her life who could challenge her mentally, with whom she could talk about great philosophy problems or how Probability Theory could be included in Arithmancy. She loved reading and learning, he loved drawing and talking about cloud constellations. It just didn't fit in the long term. Her friends had warned her from the start, over a year ago when she had started to show an interest in him.

"Don't even bother," they had said. "A Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff can never be happy with each other."

She had tried to prove them wrong and here in the secure space of Hogwarts it had worked very well but now that they were entering the wizarding adult world, their expectations of life diverged.

"It's okay," he then said and even smiled a bit at her. "I've always known."

"What have you always known?" she asked puzzled. Why wasn't he shouting at her in anger or leave her cold-heartedly? She deserved to be treated horribly after what she had done!

"That a Ravenclaw like yourself wouldn't be with me Hufflepuff for a long time. That sooner or later I would bore you."

"You don't bore me," she replied at once, "it's just…"

"Not enough," he finished the sentence for her, and she couldn't contradict him.

Tears filled her eyes. She felt terrible because she did love him and wanted to be with him, but it was better to sever all ties now than to get divorced in twenty years. Maybe now she had the possibility to meet with whom she was truly meant to be.

"You know what," he then said and intertwined his hand with hers, "I still want to go to the Graduation ball with you. One last evening where everything is perfect without thinking about tomorrow."

"I don't deserve that," she whispered, crying. He was too good for the world.

"Yes, you do. And so do I."

Finally, she nodded. She could give him that. One evening of forgetting who they were and just be happy with each other.


	5. A very bookish year (09 1960)

A very bookish year

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_September 1960_

.

Professor Albus Dumbledore sighed and looked happily over the four House tables in the Great Hall, finally filled again with chatting, laughing students. Summers in Hogwarts were always too quiet.

As Head of Gryffindor House, he was as always particularly interested in the Sorting Ceremony, and as he looked at his colleagues, he had the impression, they were, too. Horace Slughorn, Head of Slytherin, was combing his hair with his fingers, Filius Flitwick, this year newly appointed Head of Ravenclaw, spoke excitedly with his current girlfriend Pomona Sprout who happened to be the Head of Hufflepuff. Every year new students would join their houses and it was the teachers' job to help them in any way possible.

While the students continued to tell each other their summer's adventures, the door of the Great Hall opened a gap and Professor Minerva McGonagall made a hand gesture to let them know that the first years were ready now.

Headmaster Armando Dippet nodded and a moment later his voice, magically raised, sounded through the Hall. "It is time to meet our new students," he simply announced but it was enough for everyone to become quiet and look at the door expectantly.

Suddenly, the double-wing door swung open and Minerva strode proudly through the middle corridor, a flock of 23 new students behind her. They were not so many this year due to the aftermaths of Grindelwald's defeat where the Magical world still hadn't been sure to live their lives normally. This meant that theoretically, each house would get about five or six students. Not many at all…

_They get younger every year_, Albus mused as he observed the boys and girls admiring the ceiling of the Great Hall or the thousands of floating candles.

When the first years arrived at the front of the Hall, Armando welcomed them briefly, and Minerva explained the function of the Sorting Hat. It was the same every year but even the seventh years were still attentive to see who would join their house.

"Alden, Lara," Minerva announced the first name on her list, and a shy girl stepped forward.

The Hat contemplated her mind for a while before he solemnly shouted: "RAVENCLAW!"

The entire Hall clapped but the Ravenclaws cheered in particular.

"Abernathy, Thomas."

This boy seemed more confidant than Miss Alden and strode forward obviously comfortable in his shoes.

Albus had fun guessing the house of the students from only these little encounters and often he was correct. This time he believed the boy would end up in Gryffindor but again the Hat shouted: "RAVENCLAW!"

_Well_, Albus admitted his defeat in his mind. Interesting choice. But Mr Abernathy was probably fond of books _and _confident.

"Bones, Clara."

_She has to be a Hufflepuff_, Albus thought instantly. _Her whole family consists of Hufflepuffs._

But yet again the Hat chose Ravenclaw.

This time Albus frowned and looked at his colleagues who also wore miens of confusion. It was always an off start when one house got all the children. Merely, Filius clapped in a carefree manner and smiled at his new students.

And further, every student that sat down on the three-legged chair was sorted by the Hat into Ravenclaw. The reactions of staff and students became less jubilant and more confused and incredulous from first year to first year. Even Filius and the rest of the Ravenclaws seemed taken aback by this procedure of events.

Finally, there were only three students left and everyone looked anxious. The House teachers of Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff wanted at least one new student this year, and the first years looked anxious because they didn't want to be the only one from their house in their year. It was bad enough that they would have to be the only boy or girl in their dormitory but to be the only Slytherin or Hufflepuff or Gryffindor in their entire year was unimaginable.

So, it was to at least the first years a great relief when all three of them joined Ravenclaw as well.

When "Walters, Caroline" had joined her new House, there was a shocked silence in the Hall. All first-year students in Ravenclaw? Had something like this ever occurred before in the long history of Hogwarts?

There was an uncertainty of how to proceed and the House teachers looked at Headmaster Dippet for guidance. He, apparently also dazzled, finally stood up and approached the Hat. Albus was luckily sitting nearby to overhear their hushed conversation.

"Are you sure they all belong in Ravenclaw?" Armando asked at once.

"Of course," the Hat replied firmly. "I never make a mistake. There were a few I considered putting into another House but in the end, Ravenclaw just fits best."

Armando looked around the Hall and then went towards the Ravenclaw first years. "Are you all happy with the choice the Sorting Hat made?"

They nodded and some exclaimed proudly how much they appreciated books and knowledge.

Now the Headmaster seemed at a loss of what to do; surely something like this couldn't work. "Um," he started and seemed uncomfortable. "Would anyone of you consider going into another House?"

Albus frowned and decided to step in. This was a chance of 0.00000000000000142 but it was still accurate. He stood up and spoke loudly: "Why should they? If Ravenclaw is the best choice for them, let them be in Ravenclaw and achieve their full potential."

"But we don't have enough rooms," Filius remarked.

"I'm sure we'll find a solution."

"But isn't this kind of unfair regarding the House Cup?" Minerva added, luckily only loud enough for the teachers to hear her.

Albus smiled slightly. "Isn't it always a bit unfair?"

Armando finally nodded and addressed the whole Great Hall. "This is, of course, a bit unusual but we will manage. Please, everyone, applaud for your new fellow students, 23 proud Ravenclaws."

The Hall obliged and most of them laughed. This was so unbelievable their grandchildren would not believe it.


	6. A Sword for Gryffindor (10 1003)

A Sword for Gryffindor

.

_October 1003_

.

"I am telling you that this is not the best present!" Rowena insisted for the third time this evening. She tried to keep smiling at their guests, but her feet hurt from the high heeled shoes she was wearing. Usually, she only wore flats. But this was an important party and as one of the representatives of the school, she had to look her best.

"Oh, come on", Helga replied laughingly. "It'll be alright. Shouldn't he be happy about whatever we give him?"

"And this sword has cost us hundreds of Galleons", Salazar pointed out. "It is Goblin-made after all."

"If you say so", Rowena conceded though she was still not convinced.

The Great Hall was filled with important witches and wizards, most of them Ministry officials but even royal delegations from different countries had come.

"So many people", Helga wondered Rowena's thought aloud. "If Godric knows all of them?"

"It doesn't matter", Salazar said at once. "He should meet every one of them, they are great connections – for all of us."

"And it doesn't happen often that one of the four founders of Hogwarts turns 30," Rowena added.

"Well, I've had my 30th birthday a long time ago", Helga chuckled. "There wasn't even a Hogwarts there, yet."

Rowena and Salazar smiled as well. They were all already in their 50ies, so Godric had always been some kind of nestling for them. For a while, she had dreamed about him marrying her daughter Helena, but they were just so different. At least they were friends. Her daughter was now dancing with a rich lord from Wales although Rowena had asked her earlier in the evening to dance with the Baron of Elphinstone, a fine Slytherin graduate, but apparently, as always, Helena did what she wanted to do and not what her mother had asked her to…

"We should mingle," Salazar then pointed out. "Talk to our guests and get some information we can use to our advantage."

Helga rolled her eyes. "It's not all about power, you know."

Salazar merely wrinkled his nose before he went with a brilliant smile towards the King of Denmark.

Rowena took a deep breath before she started to walk into the crowd. She didn't like these kinds of social events and preferred books to boring conversations, but Salazar was right: their young school needed all the connections and help it could get. She looked around and decided to speak to the Bohemian queen who seemed rather intelligent.

"Good evening, your Majesty," Rowena greeted politely and bowed. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities."

"Oh, very much," the young queen replied and smiled. "This is my first visit to England, and I cannot say I am disappointed."

"Scotland," Rowena couldn't help correcting her and cringed automatically afterwards. Having knowledge and wit could sometimes be a burden.

But the queen didn't seem to mind. "My apologies. Scotland, of course. Tell me now, do you approve of your colleague's view that Muggleborn should not be taught magic?"

Rowena hesitated a moment. Of course, she found Salazar's views ridiculous and it could only benefit them to teach as many witches and wizards as possible – everyone deserved the chance of education – but if this Bohemian queen was in favour of ignoring Muggleborns, she could affront her severely. In the end, she decided to speak the truth. "I do not."

"Oh, good," the queen replied relieved and smiled. "At least someone with sense in this school."

Rowena merely smiled politely. Before she could continue their chit-chat, however, the music of the orchestra stopped and Godric's voice, magically enhanced, sounded through the Hall.

"My dear guests, I thank you for your wonderful presence and kind words of congratulation. I am truly honoured to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday in this beautiful Hall." He looked at the ceiling where a thousand stars shone through the roof and even more candles floated in the air. "And I want to thank my co-founders who made this whole project of creating a school for young witches and wizards in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland possible."

"Hear, hear," the crowd replied and lifted their glasses.

Helga was suddenly at Rowena's side. "We should give him our present now," she whispered, and Rowena nodded. It was only appropriate that they would be the first.

So the three co-founders stepped towards Godric and Salazar spoke in a loud voice so that most of the guests would be aware of their present. "Dear Godric, it is our honour to present you with this special item on this your special birthday."

It was rather compelling to watch Salazar lie so easily. It was common knowledge that he and Godric almost hated each other due to their different world views. But prestige and reputation had always been more important to Salazar than honesty.

Godric was polite enough to accept our gift with gratitude, though his smile was only real when it grazed Helga and Rowena. He opened the long box and enwrapped a sword.

"It's Goblin-made," Helga told him and giggled in excitement. "And there are rubies on it since red is your favourite colour, and we even inscribed your name into the blade."

Godric looked at the sword from all angles and even took a swing. Then he smiled and said: "Wow. Thank you very much. This is really… great."

Rowena was the only one to notice that he didn't really like his present and smugly thought that she had been right. It wasn't until a few hours later, however, that she had the chance to speak to Godric alone. "It's too small, isn't it?" she said and pointed towards the long sword in his hand.

"Um, well," Godric stammered. "Yes, it is." They laughed in good humour.

"I told them you needed a broad sword, but they wouldn't listen. At least, it's goblin-made and won't break soon."

"Yes, but I look like a giant swinging a toothpick."

Rowena chuckled.

"Well, I guess it's the thought that counts, right?"

She smiled at their youngest founder. "A very Hufflepuff-like view."

He grinned at her and then asked her to dance with him.


	7. Arriving in Hogwarts (GL) (09 1975)

Arriving in Hogwarts (The Gilderoy Lockhart Tales, Part I)

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_September 1975_

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"And you're going to be the greatest wizard Hogwarts has ever seen," Mrs Lockhart told her son at platform nine and three-quarters while combing his hair with her fingers once more. The Hogwarts Express was ready to be boarded and the platform full of parents saying goodbye to their children for another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Even greater than Dumbledore?" Gilderoy wanted to know eagerly.

His mother smiled proudly. "There cannot be any doubt about it."

This made Gilderoy grin. He hugged his mother and entered the train looking for a place to sit for the next six to seven hours. Many compartments were already full or the people inside not adequate for a genius like him. He knew how important it was to be surrounded by powerful, successful, popular people and the friendships he would make in his first weeks at Hogwarts could determine the rest of his life.

He walked past a compartment with four boys, a few years older than him, already in their Gryffindor uniforms. They were apparently having fun, one boy with locks telling another boy with raven black hair: "No way it happened this way, Prongs!" while everyone laughed.

Gilderoy longed to be a part of such a group but obviously he couldn't join them now. He would have to start his own clique.

He walked along a few other compartments with only girls inside and merely smiled charmingly when they looked up but went on until he found a compartment with a young girl reading a book.

_Why not_, he shrugged. This couldn't hurt. Smart people were always good to have around. So, he opened the door and got inside without asking for permission – he didn't need one, of course.

The girl looked up at him and revealed bright blue eyes. "Hello," she said shyly.

"Hey there," he replied confidently and gave her his best smile. "I'm Gilderoy. Gilderoy Lockhart." As if she would need his last name. His mother had told him that he would be famous already.

The girl smiled slightly. "I'm Margery. You can call me Margy."

Gilderoy was a bit bummed at her lack of enthusiasm but continued nonchalantly. "So, you're a first-year, too?" he assumed since her school uniform had no crest of one of the Houses yet.

She nodded. "And you?"

"Yeah, of course." Did she really not know who he was?

"Which House would you like to be in?" Margy wanted to know after a moment of silence.

"Gryffindor, obviously," he grinned.

She raised her eyebrows. "Why is that obvious?"

Gilderoy stared at this strange girl for a moment before he sighed and explained. "It seems like you are one of only a few people who don't know who I am. I'm Gilderoy Lockhart, one of the greatest wizards Hogwarts will ever see and a genius." He posed confidently but Margy chuckled.

"I'm sorry," she sobered at once. "Of course, you'll be in Gryffindor if you're this cocky."

"What House do you prefer then?" he asked a tad irritated.

"Oh, I'm an absolute Ravenclaw. I love to learn more about anything, and I am a hopeless bookworm." She raised her book (_A History of Magic_).

"Well, I suppose Ravenclaw is also great," he conceded.

"Do you come from a pureblood family?"

He shook his head. "My mother is a witch, but my father is a muggle."

"So which House was your Mum in?"

"Slytherin."

She raised her eyebrow. "So maybe that'll be your House as well."

"Maybe. What about your family?"

"Mine are all Ravenclaws, for generations even."

"Do you have any siblings?"

Margy nodded. "An older brother who is, of course, also in Ravenclaw. You?"

"Two older sisters but they don't have any magical abilities."

Margy raised her eyebrows once more but didn't comment. When it was clear that Gilderoy was done talking, she continued to read her book.

Indeed, Gilderoy was lost in his own thoughts. He watched the English scenery blur along while dreaming about his life in Hogwarts. Of course, he would become popular right away. And win a lot of House points so that his House would win the House Cup at the end of the year. He would become a Quidditch player, a Chaser, naturally, who would score the most points. And Dumbledore himself would congratulate him on his fine magical abilities.

He grinned and slowly drifted off to sleep…

"Gilderoy!"

There was a hand on his shoulder.

He woke up with a start and saw Margy's cheerful face. "Look, we're here!" she announced excitedly, but the world outside was black.

Gilderoy quickly followed his new friend outside onto the platform of Hogsmeade where a giant with an enormously wild beard called for the first-years. Apprehensively, they followed the huge man towards the lake where they were to enter small boats.

"Here," Margy offered. "You can ride next to me."

Cautiously, Gilderoy entered the boat and sat next to the girl. When everyone was seated, the boats started to float over the lake and for the first time in his life, Gilderoy saw Hogwarts. It was beautiful, even more grand than his mother had described, and he instantly felt home.

"Isn't it amazing?" Margy whispered and he could only nod.

Soon they entered the castle and the Great Hall. For Gilderoy it felt like a dream that was finally coming true. All his life he wanted to show his magical potential and now he was finally able to. There was a female professor with a stern look who explained the four Hogwarts Houses and the function of the Sorting Hat. Since Gilderoy already knew all of that, he didn't really listen but instead watched his fellow students. There were so many young wizards and witches. He thought he was one of only a few in all of Britain…

"Clearwater, Margery," the professor suddenly announced and brought Gilderoy back to reality. He watched his friend nervously sit down on a three-legged chair and it didn't take the Hat long to shout: "RAVENCLAW!"

Margy smiled at Gilderoy before joining her fellow students.

Only a few names later it was his turn already.

"Lockhart, Gilderoy."

He had anticipated some murmur in the Hall, for he was famous and everyone knew his name. But the students looked at him mostly indifferent, some excited by the overall show. No one seemed to know him…

He sat down on the chair, the Hat was placed onto his head and suddenly, he could hear the Hat's thoughts.

_Let's have a look at you. You want to prove the world that you are special, and you take immensely after your mother who I put into Slytherin these many years ago. But deep down you value knowledge above all, even above glory. Therefore, I will put you into _"RAVENCLAW!"

Margy sprang to her feet and clapped loudly.

Gilderoy went to sit next to her but could only manage a tight smile. He wasn't sure if he was happy with the choice of Ravenclaw but well, here he was and at least not alone.

But during the following feast something became clearer and clearer to young Gilderoy and his mood worsened constantly: he was not special. He was just one of many young wizards attending this school – and no one had heard of him or his family before…


	8. In your mind you are free (09 1988)

In your mind you are free

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_September 1988_

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Simon Simmons didn't like Charms class. Or any class that used spells actually. But Potions was a nightmare thanks to Professor Snape and Herbology rather boring (he wasn't a fan of plants).

So, he had to endure another year at Hogwarts, his sixth now, and hopefully, it wouldn't be so miserable like the last years – the jokes had to get old eventually, didn't they?

"Hey, Thimon Thimmonth! Had a nithe thummer?" a Gryffindor boy called him and laughed.

Apparently not.

Simon sighed and tried o ignore the laughs. The group around him, all waiting for Professor Flitwick's class, looked uncomfortable, but no one intervened.

He had been lisping since his birth and wherever he went, people made fun of him. Hogwarts was no exception, of course, though the teachers tried to help him whenever they overheard the ridicule. But his classmates were crafty and only whispered the insults or shouted when no teacher could hear them. Lisping was not so uncommon, but most children stopped eventually when they grew. Simon, however, was 15 and still lisped like a 4-year-old. He had seen Madam Pomphrey because of his problem and she even had an idea how to get rid of it, but his parents had forbidden it.

"You are who you are," his father had said. "And we don't want you to change."

His mother had nodded and hugged him.

Simon was grateful for the unconditional love of this parents, but most of the year he spent at Hogwarts with no real friends. At least he was in Ravenclaw and not Thlytherin…

In that moment, Professor Flitwick opened the door to his classroom and welcomed them inside.

Simon shuffled along and sat down at his usual seat in the last row. Along with his new charms book he got a list out of his backpack. A list of spells that have an S in them and for which he was trying to find alternatives without his least favourite letter. He still remembered his first Charms lessons very clearly: they were supposed to try the rather easy spell _Wingardum Leviosa_ to make a feather levitate. Professor Flitwick had reminded them to pronounce every spell clearly and correctly, for the consequences could be severe. "Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest," he had told them in his easy manner.

All around Simon, the students had started to say the incantation and after a while, the first feather was in the air. Simon had remained silent until Professor Flitwick stood in front of him.

"Now you, Mr Simmons."

Simon knew that it was a waste of time to explain his predicament, so he raised his wand and hoped that nothing too bad would happen. "_Wingardium Leviotha!_" His feather turned purple; the class laughed.

"Oh dear," Flitwick made. "Don't worry, Mr Simmons, we'll find a solution." It was Professor Flitwick who had encouraged him to see Madame Pomphrey and he who helped Simon with alternative spells. But often there were no real alternatives. It was easy to use _Expelliarmus_ instead of _Stupefy_ and not so many spells had an S in the first place (like _Accio_ or _Alohomora_) but he couldn't even use _Lumos _or _Petrificus Totalus_ or defeat a Boggart (_Riddikulus_).

Professor Flitwick stood in front of the class now and smiled at them. "It is wonderful to see you again and I hope you had great summer holidays. Now then, you are finally NEWT students which means that we are going to learn something new that will benefit you in all situations." He discreetly winked at Simon, before announcing to the class: "Nonverbal spells."

Simon looked up interested.

"Nonverbal spells," the professor continued, "are spells that are not spoken but only thought – and in your mind you are free." He smiled at Simon who returned the smile. "Well then, let's try it."

Professor Flitwick had brought the feathers back with which they had trained _Wingardium Leviosa_ all those years ago. Now they had to try it again – but silently.

Simon felt nervous as he pointed his wand at the feather because he didn't want to fail again but this could actually work – in his mind he pronounced the words correctly. He took a deep breath and concentrated. _Wingardium Leviosa_, he thought – and suddenly his feather moved. It didn't fly yet but it reacted. With new confidence Simon tried again and yes, this time the feather floated into the air.

Around him his classmates stopped to stare at him. No one had succeeded with nonverbal spells yet, not even Carol, the best of their year.

"Well, done!" Professor Flitwick cheered and came to Simon. "I knew you had it in you. Now everything is possible for you."

Simon beamed.


End file.
